Sheet-metal box.



N0. 785,279. Q I PATENTED'MAE. 21, 1905.

STEINER. SHEET METAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9. 1904.

52632: /zyeiz iazi UNITED STATES Patented March 21,1905.

LOUIS STEINER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHEET-METAL BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,279, dated March 21, 1905. Application filed September 9, 1904;. Serial No. 223,816.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS STEINER, a citizen of the United States, whose residence and post oflice address is 522 Broadway, New

York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Metal Boxes, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The present invention relates to boxes for carrying matches, cigarettes, postage-stamps, or analogous objects in the pocket.

In the present invention the box is formed 1 5 at one end with a hinged cap and with the opposite end entirely closed to form a receptacle which retains the objects therein when the lid is opened. The front of the box is formed with an opening above such receptacle, and a fiat cover-plate is hinged to the front at the top of the receptacle and secured when closed by the edge of the cap. The edge of the cap is provided with a sloping lip, by which it is automatically pressed backward when the cover-plate is closed, and the cover-plate is thus locked shut when pressed toward the box. The cap is held normally closed by a spring and is provided with a thumb-piece for opening it, and the cover-plate is also provided 3 with a spring for opening it automatically when the cap is raise The invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawings, in which' Figure 1 is a perspective view as seen at the flat back, the nearer side being cutaway. Fig.

4 open, and Fig. i is a plan in cross-section on line 4 4 in Fig. 2.

The body of the box is shown with flat front 6 and flat back a, also with flat sides a and rounded ends d cl. The box is formed with a cap at one end and is entirely closed at the opposite end to form a receptacle cl, the front of the box having an opening provided with the flat cover-plate a which is joined by a hinge c to the top of the receptacle upon the to retain the articles within the box and prevent their falling out when the cover-plate is opened, as the cover-plate is meant to open automatically when the cap is raised. The.

. the cap normally closed, and a thumb-piece k is projected from the cap for lifting the same in opposition to the spring. The edge of the cap where it overlaps the end of the cover is formed with a longitudinally-inclined lip j, which enables the front to lift the cap when pressed toward the lip, so that the front can be closed and locked by mere pressure toward the lip. I

It will be understood from the above description that the box provides a receptacle which embraces a part of its interior below the hinge c of the cover-plate b and that the cover-plate is pressed normally open, so that when the cap is raised by the thumb-piece la the cover-plate opens automatically; also, that the cap is held normally closed, so that when the cover-plate is pressed toward the lip j the cover plate is automatically locked. The whole box is of such construction that it can be opened and closed with one hand, thus offering much greater convenience for use than a box which requires both hands to open and close the same.

The drawings, as just described, show rounded ends upon the box; but the shape of the ends is entirely immaterial, as they could be square or polygonal without aifecting the operation of the parts, and rounded ends are shown only because they render the box more comfortable to carry in the pocket.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed herein is 1. The sheet-metal box herein described having cap hinged upon one end to lock the coverplate, and the opposite end entirely closed to form a receptacle with an opening in the front of the box above such receptacle, a flat cover- 5 front side. The receptacle is of suitable depth plate hinged to the topedge of such recepta- I00 ale, and the cap arranged and operated to engage the free end of the cover-plate when closed, and provided with the thumb-piecek for lifting the cap.

2. The sh eet-rnetal boX herein described having a cap hinged upon one end to lock the coverplate, and the opposite end entirely closed to form a receptacle with an opening in the front of the box above such receptacle, a flat coverplate hinged to the top edge of the receptacle and extended upwardly to the free edge of the cap, and said free edge provided with a sloping lip to be pressed back by the edge of the cover-plate.

3. The sheet-metal boX herein described having a cap hinged upon one end to lock the coverplate, and the opposite end entirely closed to form a receptacle with an opening in the front of the box above such receptacle, a flat coverplate hinged to the top edge of the receptacle and extended upwardly to the free edge of the my hand in the presence of two subscribing 3 Witnesses.

LOUIS STEINER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS S. CRANE, LLEE. 

